The nameless blade had never taken a beating more severe whilst wielded by the cold and logical mercenary than it had this day. The iron blade now had several points where it had been dangerously warped under the monstrous strength wrought by the demonic commander. The once proud blade had already been old when Umbra had first gripped it’s hilt, weathered, beaten but unyielding despite Umbra’s own violent methods of fighting.

Now though, Umbra felt at odds seeing the scratched surface and the missing chips that endangered the blades integrity. Umbra twirled the sword in their grip and placed the borrowed whetstone back atop the library table they were currently partially perched upon.

“If only the dwarven delegation had not left after Shinsou pretended to kill nearly everyone in the room during the opening talks.” Raimneth lamented after stepping away from the red haired captain. The vexation he currently felt were clearly etched into his brows as he came to a stop beside the table the mercenary had occupied.

Umbra remembered the outrage the dwarven emissary had displayed once they had all regained their wits, demanding that the AWOL co-leader of the brotherhood's head be delivered to them before they would even entertain talks of an alliance. Needless to say the lack of a head had been the reason they had left merely hours later, heading north before the demons had overtaken the lands.

‘Are we even hoping they made it out alive?’ Umbra wondered. While the presence of the dwarfs own politician would have aided them considerably, providing they were willing to listen in the first place. Even should they get through these tunnels and find the marching dwarven army, would their leader even be willing to listen to the plea of - who was going again?

Celandine, themselves, the red headed captain along with a small group of soldiers to help clear the way. Until there was a safe passage all other diplomats and civilians were to stay within the Sanctuary's walls. So this foray into some lost ancient mine would be worth the trip even without considering any potential alliance with the dwarfs.

Umbra’s reflective thoughts stalled the moment Celandine came rushing back from some dark corner of the library carrying a rolled up map. “Found it, I knew I had seen it before in the geography section!” The girl proclaimed victoriously and sprawled the map along the table prompting Umbra to hop off as she placed a book in each corner to stop the old parchment from folding back up.

Raimneth gave the girl a courteous nod before pouring over an old hand drawn map that displayed some of Alerar’s earliest settlements and the entrances to several mines that dotted the landscape. Raimneth tapped one particular faded portion of the map and turned to lock eyes with the young girl and the mercenary in tandem.

“This map doesn’t show it but this is Sanctuary, our current location.” He explained, and Umbra looked to see that much care had been taken when it had initially been created. Though some of Alerar’s land mass upon the map appeared skewered, it was unmistakable to anyone that had seen a modern map of the land.

Raimneth’s finger traced a rough path along the jagged mountains, passing more rough terrain upwards to the north stopping on one of the mine entrances that must have been several miles in length. Not too far a distance Umbra concluded but the unknown state that it lay in would prove this venture's making or its ruin.

“And this is most likely where you should find an exit. As children we used to always play by old ruins, though we never ventured too far in.” he said with a small grin tugging at the edges of his lip as he considered that his finger hovered over a place long forgotten by many of his people. Though another errant thought caused his frown to deepen and his lips settled in a grim straight line. “Now for where the dwarfs are marching, that would be the demon gate if our earlier information has any truth to it. Sadly we were unable to verify their intent.”

His finger traced a wide circle along a patch of plains between the mine's entrance and the border to Salvar to the north. “I also know these plains well, my home town is roughly around here,” he said whilst marking it’s position. “It should still be standing as we don’t think the Demons have reached that far just yet.”

Though he spoke with a straight voice there was no hiding the unease that resounded in his voice as he said it and steeled himself accordingly before tracing a rough line from north to south indicating a clear path that he felt the dwarfs would march along. “If you have any chance of intercepting them before they reach the gate then it would be around here along the foothills.”

“What's the message?” Umbra cued the commander. "Will your diplomats really agree to permit them on their lands if Troy can’t even convince them to allow Corone’s forces to intervene?” The mercenary queried. Three weeks was an awfully long time for Alerar’s representatives to drag their heels in upholding their isolationist stance.

Apparently they were even willing to die before their politicians allowed foreign armies to get a foothold so deep into their lands.

“Ugh, your kidding, Troy hasn’t even accomplished that much while I was gone?” Celandine bemoaned rolling her eyes in an exaggerated manner. Umbra was sure the girl had some choice words to describe the middle aged man though the mercenary personally didn’t care for it.

Raimneth stepped back from the table with a heavy sigh “With Sanctuary being cut off as it is from the rest of the country, we can’t even be sure if our military let alone our people are still intact.” He levelled a grim look towards the young girl. “Under these circumstances as the highest ranking officer I'll be imposing martial law up until the time we can determine just what is left of our country.”

“I’ll grant you your alliance personally.” The dark elf stated resolutely whilst looking directly into the faun's eyes as though to convey the message that an agreement had been already agreed upon. “The next issue is the demon gate itself, we have no means of knowing how to close it, even the first king was unable to permanently seal the breach.”

Umbra looked at the man in surprise, having him declare martial law would certainly expedite any plans that they made. That he had not done so earlier spoke of his reluctance to take such drastic measures. Perhaps he still was reluctant. Umbra didn’t know for certain but Raimneth had proven to be a good man thus far.

Here’s to hope that he sees his people through this crisis.

“Oh! well funny you should mention sealing the gate!” Celandine spoke with the smile of a mad researcher who just had their life's work finally validated.